Abstract: A rinse tank for rinsing residue from fine apertures in a moving strip of material includes a chamber having an elongated slot. The slot has a length sufficient to span the aperture pattern. Fluid is injected into the chamber and exits through the slot as a fluid curtain substantially normal to one side of the strip. Fluid is also passed over the other side of the strip substantially parallel to the fluid curtain. The combined fluid actions cause the fluid to flow into the small apertures to remove any residue from the apertures.

Abstract: A device for shearing, welding and aligning two sheets of thin material includes two segmented tables arranged on opposite sides of a vertically moveably welding head. Substantially parallel shears are equally spaced on opposite sides of the welding head. The sheets of material are arranged so that their uneven ends lie between the welding head and the respective shears. Clamping bars are arranged to clamp the sheets of material snugly against moveable segments within each of the segmented tables. The uneven ends are clamped in position and then sheared off. The moveable segments and the clamping bars move the two sheets of material inwardly toward the welding head. The distance that the moveable segments move slightly exceeds the distance between the welding head and respective shears so that the sheared ends overlap a preselected distance. A deflector arranged in the proximity of one of the shears assures that one of the sheets overlaps the other sheet.

Abstract: An externally adjustable seal and bearing structure includes an external and an internal tube. The tubes overlap within the container and are radially separated by a seal and a bearing. The bearing permits the tubes to oscillate with respect to one another. The bearing is in two parts which are separated by the seal. The bearing and the seal are arranged between a retainer and a stop plate. An adjustment nut external of the container is threaded on to the external tube and tightening of the nut longitudinally moves the external tube with respect to the internal tube. The stop plate and retainer act against the bearing parts to compress and radially expand the seal between the two tubes.

Abstract: A method of etching a continuous etchable metallic strip from both major surfaces to produce a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, said strip having, on both major surfaces, acid-resistant stencils with openings therein that are registered with one another. The method comprises moving the strip through an etching chamber, spraying liquid etchant toward both of said major surfaces and shielding one of the major surfaces from sprayed liquid etchant during the initial portion of the spraying step. Shielding is achieved by interposing a stationary wall opposite to and spaced from the shielded surface and providing continuous side seals between the wall and the edge portions of the strip.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting bare metal on a conductive strip which is coated with an insulative material includes sensors arranged near the edges of and on both sides of the strip. Each sensor includes a plurality of electrical contacts, one of which is grounded and the others of which are voltage biased. When one or more voltage biased contacts in one sensor are electrically connected to the grounded contact in another sensor, bare metal is indicated.